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INSIDE
THIS ISSUE ...
From the President...................................2
Keep Austin Wild!...................................3
Naturalist’s Calendar...............................4
The Dan Callaway Report.......................5
Birdathon 2008...................................6-7
TAS News & Notes........................ ..........8
Notes from Chaetura Canyon.................9
Chimney Swift Tower Construction......10
Baker Sanctuary News.........................11
TAS Towhees 2008....... .......................11
TAS Events............................. ..........12-13
Volunteers Make it Happen..................14
TAS Classes....................................... .....15
Travis Audubon Socie tyMembership Form ................... Back page
VOLUME 57, NO. 7 & 8 July/August 2008
MOKE S S IGNALThe Newsletter of Travis Audubon Society
AS Regular Monthly Meetings
No monthly meetings in
June, July, or August.
See you in September!
LCRA Board Roomin the Hancock Building
at 3601 Lake Austin Blvd. Austin TX Please note venue is subject to change
Doors open at 6:30 pm for social time
continued on Page 7
2008 Birdathon – Flying SoloBy Terry Banks, winner of “ Best Birdathon Story.”
Every year our local Audubon Chapter has a fundraiser, the Birdathon, which sets out
to earn money to keep Travis Audubon’s activities running smoothly. Travis Audubon
does many things – including offering birding and nature field trips and providing
nature education. One of the most important things that Travis Audubon does is to maintain a
preserve, the Baker Sanctuary, which protects Golden-cheeked Warbler habitat in the middle
of Austin’s rapidly growing urban area. Without this and other preserves, the Golden-cheeked
Warbler, a beautiful and endangered songbird, would lose its habitat and probably become
extinct.
Everyone does their Birdathon differently; most people join a group of birders that work
together to find as many birds as possible. But most of these teams birded on the weekend, an
since I work weekends, I chose to bird by myself for four days before the official Birdathon.
My birding days were Monday, May 5 th through Thursday May 8th. I thought of myself
as the “Wandering Albatross” – that solitary wandering bird of the open seas. I birded St.
Edwards Park, the Great Hills Greenbelt, Buescher-Bastrop State Park, Hornsby Bend, and
the Schaetzlers’ Warbler Woods. (I birded Warbler Woods with my regular birding group, but
count this in my total anyway.)
My goal was to find 150 species; I originally wanted to see fifteen warblers, but when I
realized I had twelve warblers the first day, I readjusted that goal to eighteen. I did not see 15
species, by the last day my tally was 118 species of birds, but I did manage to see eighteenspecies of warblers.
I found that while I only saw 118 species, many of the birds were well represented in all area
By far the most numerous birds were Northern Cardinals
Carolina Wrens, Great-tailed Grackles, White-winged an
Mourning Doves, and White-eyed Vireos. Because I did
not do a lot of urban birding, House Sparrows, starlings,
and Rock Pigeons were less numerous.
Warblers seen:
1. Black-throated Green Warbler
2. Yellow-breasted Chat
3. Golden-cheeked Warbler
4. Common Yellowthroat
5. Yellow Warbler
6. American Redstart
7. Magnolia Warbler
8. Nashville Warbler
9. Wilson’s Warbler
10. Chestnut-sided Warbler
11. Ovenbird
12. Northern Waterthrush
13. Northern Parula
14. Black-and-white Warbl
15. Pine Warbler
16. Tennessee Warbler
17. Canada Warbler
18. Mourning Warbler
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2 SI GNA L SMO KE / July/August 2008 TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IET Y
COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS
ABOUT SIGNAL SMOKE
Mission StatementThe Travis Audubon Society promotes the enjoyment, understanding,
and preservation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats in Central Texas.
From the TAS President
TAS Rare Bird Alert Eric Carpenter 300-2473select option #3
Advocacy Jeff Mundy 334-4300 Bird Records Lawrence Buford 452-6344
Ethel Kutac 346-7659 Habitat Conservation Valarie Bristol 300-BIRD
Education Byron Stone 970-5154Jean Martin 343-7053
Field Trips Laurie Foss 300-BIRD Hornsby Bend Priscilla Murr 477-6192
Hospitality Susan Moak 925-4590Latin America Bob Warneke 300-BIRD
Fundraising/Membership/Volunteer Nancy Manning 300-BIRD Programs Ann Gardner 306-0737 Property and Finance Kelly Logan 320-8000 Publications Tess Sherman 300-2473 Sanctuary Chair Terri Siegenthaler 263-2237 Society Historian John Kelly 331-8693 Youth Education Julia Balinsky 926-7312
Urban Habitat Jane Tillman 794-0058
Travis Audubon Society
General Address3710 Cedar Street, Box 5
Austin, TX. 78705
Phone numbers listed below without an area code are local numbers in the
512 area.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS2008-09
President Marsha May 300-BIRD
Vice President Valarie Bristol 300-BIRD
Treasurer Roger Beckman 300-BIRD
Secretary Claude Morris 300-BIRD
DirectorsRobin DoughtyBill EdwardsShelia Hargis
Gray Jolink Kelly LoganChris MaseyJeff MundyTerri Siegenthaler
Executive Director Nancy Manning 300-BIRD
Administrative Assistant Jocelyn Taijeron 300-BIRD
BAKER SANCTUARY STEWARDJohn Wilcox 219-8425
CHAETURA CANYON SANCTAURYSTEWARDS
Georgean & Paul Kyle 266-3861
ACT REPRESENTATIVESJohn Kelly (state president) 331-8693Bryan Hale (state treasurer) 474-5599
SIGNAL SMOKE EDITOR Tess Sherman 300-BIRD
TAS TELEPHONE
The office number is 512-300-BIRD(2473). To leave a message for Board
President Marsha May, press 1. To reportsightings of rare or unusual birds in Cen-
tral Texas, press 3. To ask a bird-relatedquestion, press 4.
TAS WEB SITEwww.travisaudubon.org
TAS EMAILinfo@travisaudubon.org
Signal Smoke (ISSN 1931-9282)
Subscription InformationSignal Smoke (ISSN 1931-9282), was pub-lished 11 times yearly through Volume 56,
No.4, and beginning with Volume 56, No.5,is published 6 times yearly. Subscription isa TAS mem ber ship benefit. To join, use theform on the back page of this issue or goto www.travisaudubon.org for an on-lineform. For address or subscription changes,
please call 512.300.BIRD (2473) or e-mailinfo@travisaudubon.org. The USPS does notforward Signal Smoke. Copyright 8 2008. No
part of this publication may be reproduced
Newsletter DeadlineThe submissions deadline is the first day of themonth preceding the first month of publication(for example, June 1 for the July/August issue).Submit uncopyrighted articles, announcements,and art to Tess Sherman, tsherman1@austin.rr.com; or mail to 210 E. Walnut Dr., Austin,TX 78753. Submissions by email or on a CDare preferred but not required. Call Tess at 300-BIRD if you have questions.
Signal Smoke is printed on recycled paper
using soy ink.
without permission in writing from TravisAudubon Society.
As I sit at my kitchen table contemplating what to write, outside a
beautiful male Painted Bunting visits my small backyard pond. He
reminds me why the Travis Audubon Society is so important.
This will be my second year as your president. I am honored to serve
and will do the best that I possibly can. I would like to let you know
about two new members to our amazing Board. Past TAS president
and board member, Shelia Hargis, was elected to again serve on the
TAS Board and we are very happy and honored to have her back. Her
knowledge, energy and expertise will be greatly appreciated. Also
elected to serve on the TAS Board is Roger Beckman. Roger is an
accountant and has agreed to serve as treasurer. We are delighted to have
him join our team.
This year will be filled with exciting happenings. Keep your eye on our
website for information on TAS events and field trips, and join us at
our monthly meetings beginning again in September at the new LCRA
Redbud Center. Have a great summer and enjoy the birds!
Marsha May
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TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IE TY SIG NAL SMO KE / July/August 2008
Keep Austin Wild!
Business Members
Travis Audubon is delighted to
recognize its Business Members:
Capital Printing Co.
Jeff Baker Stanberry Realtors
Mundy & Singley, LLP
Powell, Ebert & Smolik, PC
To learn about the benefits of supporting Travis Audubon as
a Business Member, please go to www.travisaudubon.org and
click on Business Members, or contact Travis Audubon at
512.300.BIRD (2473).
Take the Neighborhood Habitat Challenge
Austin is well on its way to becoming Texas’ first certified
Community Wildlife Habitat. November 2008 is the
targeted deadline to complete the certification process
with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). The May 1st
kickoff of the Neighborhood Habitat Challenge will help bolster
the number of certified homes needed to reach the habitat goal of
600 certified residences. With November just around the corner Austin needs you to start creating and certifying wildlife habitats
in a neighborhood near you!
The challenge is for Austin neighborhoods to certify the most
number of yards within their boundaries as wildlife habitats.
Participating neighborhoods will have the chance to win the
challenge and help Austin earn points towards becoming
certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat. Austin’s Parks and
Recreation Department’s new Wildlife Austin program and NWF
are sponsoring the challenge. Wildlife Austin is an initiative to
educate and assist Austinites in the creation of wildlife habitats
to benefit its people, wildlife and biodiversity.
It’s easy to create wildlife habitat! Yards that provide food,
water, cover, places to raise young for wildlife and practice
sustainable gardening practices are eligible for NWF wildlife
habitat certification. Creating habitat is as simple as planting
native plants that provide nectar, pollen, seeds, and berries year
round, including a reliable water source to attract a variety
of critters, and providing places for cover and rearing young
such as planting evergreen shrubs, leaving brush and rock piles
or putting up a birdhouse. Upon completion of the challenge
neighborhoods must register their neighborhood with Wildlife
Austin no later than October 31st.
How neighborhoods can participate: The Neighborhood Habitat
Challenge started May 1st and ends October 31st 2008. The top
three neighborhoods that have met all the challenge criteria
and certified the most number of habitats will be awarded
first, second, and third place prizes. Neighborhoods that
take the challenge must also organize a community invasive
plant removal and promote gardening for wildlife through
neighborhood newsletters and websites in addition to certifying
the highest number of yards as habitats during the contest period
Residents can certify their yards by visiting the National WildlifeFederation’s website, www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/ or can
request a pre-paid habitat certification application (limited
quantity) from the Wildlife Austin program: 327-8181 x29.
Wildlife Austin just earned an additional fifteen points toward
certification by training twenty-five new Habitat Stewards
volunteers. The volunteers will go out into the community to
share their passion for wildlife gardening and habitat knowledge
with neighbors, businesses, schools and others. Another
Stewards training will be held in September to add more
volunteer support to the growing Austin area network. A special
thanks to Travis Audubon Society for their generous support of
the Habitat Stewards program.
The new volunteers will have their first opportunity to put their
training to use by assisting with the installation of the Parks
and Recreation Department’s new demonstration habitat garden
at the Main Office located at 200 S. Lamar. The garden will
be installed in June and will highlight mini-habitats for birds,
butterflies, hummingbirds, amphibians and reptiles. It will also
be used to teach the public about how easy it is to create habitat
by using native plants and providing food, water, cover and
places to raise young for our Austin critters.
For more information about the Wildlife Austin program, please
visit www.keepaustinwild.com. Alice Nance
When Nature calls...
From Laurie and Shelia’s Birdathon
team while birding at Commons Ford
Ranch Park during a restroom break
at the outhouse. Nest with baby birds
in the urinal! Gives new meaning to
“Answering the call of Nature”!
Photo credit: Vincent O’Brien
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4 SI GNA L SMO KE / July/August 2008 TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IE TY
NATURALIST’S CALENDAR
by Bill Reiner
o by Robert Baumgardner
In the hot, dry days of summer, wetlands become particularly
important for wildlife, especially in a droughty year as this
one is turning out to be. Resident animals depend upon these
sources of water, of course, but migrants are also drawn to them.
By July, most sandpipers have finished raising young on their arctic and boreal breeding grounds, and are already migrating
southward. They congregate on mudflats at Hornsby Bend and
around shrinking lakes and ponds elsewhere in central Texas.
Joining them are throngs of long-legged waders, especially
herons, which wander widely after their own breeding season has
finished. By August, these wetlands can host hundreds of birds.
You may need to look closely to see the teeming flocks of little
brown sandpipers, but the big herons are conspicuous. The white
plumage of the egrets is particularly stunning, visible more than
a mile away.
Ever wonder why egrets are white? One would think that being
so bright would make them easy targets for predators, and naturalselection would lead toward more muted colors. Evolution does
seem to have played a role, but predation has apparently not been
the deciding factor, possibly because egrets are large enough to
ward off attacks by most avian predators. They roost communally
at night, a strategy offering protection from Great Horned Owls.
Egrets also inhabit open environments – lakeshores, mudflats,
and grasslands – where they can spot an approaching terrestrial
predator from afar.
For egrets, visibility appears to be an advantage. Just as we can
see bright white birds from long distances, so can other egrets.
Some biologists think the white plumage of egrets is a way of
signaling to other wading birds that food is present. A largeassemblage of white birds is like a flashing neon fast-food sign
to a bird flying overhead. But why would a bird want to signal
to others that food is present? Would it not be better to keep the
bonanza to itself? Not necessarily. Even when food is present, it
is not always easy to catch.
Egrets and other herons are strictly carnivorous, feeding
primarily upon fish, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates, and—
especially in the case of Cattle Egrets – grasshoppers and other
large terrestrial insects. The most common method for finding
their food is to stalk slowly or stand statue-like and wait for prey
to come within range. Since fish must keep water moving over
their gills to obtain oxygen, they usually move around a good bit,so the herons’ method is often successful. Still, the prey don’t
particularly want to be caught, and can be quite secretive. It helps
to have something flush them out of their hiding places.
Cattle Egrets are a good example. These birds associate closely
with their bovine namesakes, which frequently send grasshoppers
fleeing from their path as they graze. Cattle Egrets are quick to
grab these morsels. The cattle apparently gain no advantage from
the egrets’ presence, but are not bothered by them. The egrets,
however, have greater foraging success with less effort than
when they try to find grasshoppers on their own. This kind of
relationship is called commensalism, in which one species, the
“beater,” inadvertently assists another species, the “follower,”
with no positive or negative consequences to itself.
Cattle are rarely present in coastal marshes and mudflats – and
certainly not at Hornsby Bend – but other animals may serve
as beaters. An alligator certainly sends aquatic animals fleeing,
but following an alligator is hazardous. Ibises, which feed by
probing in bottom sediments, are good beaters, and herons often
follow them.
However, a neighboring heron can also serve quite nicely. When
herons congregate in a pond or marsh, the movements of one wil
often spook fish and other aquatic animals into striking range
of its neighbor’s bill. Observers have noticed that a heron will
catch more food in the same length of time when foraging in a
group than when feeding alone. Unlike the commensal relation
between cattle and Cattle Egrets, both parties may benefit
from the association, so it is more properly termed a symbiotic
relationship.
Snowy Egrets, the mid-sized white herons with the black legs
and yellow feet, are the most common participants in these
feeding groups, and are often at the center of the action. This
may be because they are more active feeders than their larger
white cousins, the Great Egrets. They are, so to speak, better
beaters. Though they use the stand-and-wait and slow stalk
methods like other herons, Snowy Egrets will also run, hop, or
flick their wings open to startle prey out of hiding. They are also
adept at using their brightly colored feet.
If you watch a Snowy Egret foraging for long, you will likely
notice an interesting technique it employs. Stretching one foot
forward along the bottom of the pond, often into a clump of
vegetation or under a bank, it will then shake its leg – looking
rather like a housecat probing with its paw under a sofa. This
technique is called “foot-stirring.” Other herons have been
observed doing it, but none so often nor so successfully as
Snowy Egrets. Those “golden slippers” could be the key. A
small fish may see the bright yellow feet, but not the black legs
to which they are attached. Darting upward to avoid the scary
thing creeping along the bottom, it becomes an easy target for a
quick jab of the egret’s bill.
Those who have studied herons note that Snowy Egrets employ
a wider variety of feeding strategies than any of the other North
American herons. They are also generally more active than any
of the others except for Reddish Egrets. So, if you are a heron
looking for food, you would be wise to settle on a pond where
there are a lot of white egrets. And if you are a white egret, it is
an advantage to attract more herons to flush out the food. (Within
limits, of course. You would not want another heron so close that
it takes the fish you were about to catch.)
continued on next pag
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6 SIG NAL SMO KE / July/August 2008 TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IE TY
Birdathon 2008 News
BIRDATHON 2008 SUPPORTERS!!
Marsha May
Stuart Wilson
Doug Stewart
Carol Stewart
Lois Sturn
Justin Duke
Steve Fulton
Georgina Schwartz
Ray Toburen
Leslie Uppinghouse
Terri Siegenthaler
Gary Waggerman
Anita S. Garcia
Julie Crouch
Jane Tillman
Kelly Logan
Celeste Brancel
David Busch
Colleen Gardner
James Giroux & Debbie
Zofia & Joseph Hunt
Kermit Cummings
Bill Reiner
Robin Doughty
Bill Edwards
Pamela Wiseman
Marilyn Rogers
Laurie Foss
Shiela Hargis
Gregory Mack
Vincent O’Brien
Bobbie Melder
Zo Anne Mason
Patricia Niles
Jean Krantz
Chelsea Walker
Ronald Tom
Shawn Migot
Vanessa Brownlee
Jeff Hotz
James Hesson
Tess Sherman
Oliver Wether
Courtney Seals
Rebecca Cole
Marla Koosed
Tanya Bradley
Robert Martinez
Virginia Rose
Kelly McDowell
Evelyn Carter
Karen Oringderff
Cheyenne Pitts
Jackie Davis
Michael Grant
Deborah Holle
Shari Kolding
Michele Woodfin
Bill and Ann Edwards
Al Johnson
Jessica Farver
Steven & Dollie Harris
John Rosshirt
Michael Portman
Lawrence & Jane Wilson
Walter Wright
Julie O’Brien
Edward Fair
Richard Manson
Mary Sanger
Carol & Richard Harwell
Linda & Randall Fenton
Faith S. Cantrell
Jim & Karol Devries
Ralph Tijerina
Ilda Quintanilla
Debbie Ruley
Anne Bellomy
Maggie Ramsey Burnett
Bill Reiner
Elizabeth Hendrix
Lolita Slagle
Jane Tillman
Mark Lyon
Byron Stone
Chula Sims
Nancy CochranTheresa Bayoud
Danette Ray
Jamy Kazanoff
Lisa Madry
Julia and Michael Hesket
Dave Kollen
Stephanie Barko
Stan Van SandtVanessa Brownlee
Aletha Snowden
Priscilla Murr
Eliot Lyon
Mark and Teri McClellan
Sally Scott
Sue Mercado
Dan Callaway
Ethel Kutac
Catfish Kelly
Terry Banks
Janese RowanEmil LeVasseur
Jean Martin
Anne & John Donovan
Barbara Anderson
Jim and Betty Winn
Robert L. Burford
Sarah Garrett
Judy and Gerald Bush
Elaine Rushing
Marilyn Dobbs
Frances “Quita” McMath
Mary Lou RamseyWilma Kirk Anderson
Jack & Nancy Collins
Nell Martin
Meta Hunt
Sam Fason
Meta Hunt/Trent Miller
Stan Van Sandt
Valerie Bristol
Phillip & Beverly Scott
Evelyn Jo Wilson
Barbara Kyse
Terry Banks
2008 BIRDATHON RESULTS
Our total raised to date is $6,457.50 and still
counting as of press time!!
And the winners are…………………
Most Species Seen
162 Species
High Island Hoppers
Team Captains: Anne and John Donovan,
Barbara Anderson
Rarest Bird Seen
(as judged by our very own Eric Carpenter)
Tropical Parula
Bamberger Birders
Team Captain: Marsha May
Rarest Bird –Second
Place
(as judged by Eric Carpenter)
Cerulean Warbler
High Island Hoppers
Team Captains: Anne and John Donovan,
Barbara Anderson
Most Dollars Raised
$2,754.00 and counting
Gone Pishing
Shelia Hargis and Laurie Foss
Best Team Name
Gone Pishing (as judged by Eric Carpenter)
Team Captains: Shelia Hargis and Laurie Foss
Most Mockingbirds Seen
61
Bamberger Birders
Team Captain: Marsha May
Most Golden-cheeks Seen
4
Legal Migrants
Jane Tillman, Mark Lyon
Best Birdathon Story
Terry Banks
“Wandering Albatross” Special thanks to our Austin Area Sponsors.Happy Mercado at Sweet Leaf Tea
The Hyatt Lost Pines
Cabellas
Desert Wizard
Bird Seed Wreaths by Joan
Whole Earth Provisions
Eagle Optics
Lamberts BBQ
REI
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TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IE TY SI GNA L SMO KE / July/August 2008
Birdathon
A LITTLE NOTE AFTER MY BIRDATHON
Going birding by yourself is a curious thing. It is peaceful, and you
really can pay attention to birdsong and the habitat. If there are no
other people around, it is a different sort of experience. It is just
you, the birds, and their natural habitat. Most of the time I birded it
was cool, green, wildflowers were blooming and the air was fresh
with the promise of spring.
But when you are birding by yourself, you notice your weaknesses.
Birds that previously were identified by another member of your
group are your responsibility to identify, and if you are trying to
get as many species as possible for a Birdathon, there is that added
stress; a sort of pressure to learn that can actually be good – you
realize how inadequate you are, and realize you just have to get
better.
There were adventures, to be sure. One morning before daybreak
I did my rather poor imitation of a Barred Owl at Buescher State
Park. I had tried a screech owl, but when I had no luck, I tried
the Barred Owl. I whooped what is my best maniacal hooting
(probably insulting the barred owl in the process) when a largeform crashed into the bushes in front of me, unseen in the darkness.
At that moment I remembered the story told me by a respected
and reputable birder - the story of an angry Great Horned Owl that
taloned to death a camper who played the song of a Great Horned
Owl on tape. I wondered if Barred Owls could be equally as
dangerous. I never did see that creature in the dark, but I was quiet
after that.
And one day a bird that I thought was an Eastern Pewee let out
a sound that I never heard an Eastern Pewee make; it was more
quiet and one syllable. I wondered if it could be a Western-Wood
Pewee, and emailed some very experienced birders to ask them
about the possibility. In very diplomatic terms, I was informed that
a Western-Wood Pewee had never been seen in Central Texas. Of course, I had listened to songs of both species after the sighting on
my birding software, but I couldn’t be sure what I heard exactly.
Memory is a tricky thing – you just can’t go back. I was left feeling
both embarrassed at my lack of skill and baffled by the bird. I wrote
emails apologizing for my probable mistake, but one very kind and
expert birder told me something I will never forget about birding
or any other venture. He said, “I think if you don’t make mistakes,
you are not trying hard enough.”
One day about 1:00 pm I decided I would go to Hornsby Bend.
Here I met another birder, and she and I birded in the lawns in front
of the CER building there. We were seeing and hearing warblers
in the trees, when suddenly she noticed a warbler dropping downfrom the branch of a tree into a little depression in the parking
lot. I think it was a Black-throated Green Warbler. Then another
warbler dropped down into that depression, and another and
another, about twenty in all, of an assortment of species. At our
vantage point we could not see into the depression, so we moved
slowly so as not to scare the warblers, and the attraction became
obvious – a shallow little puddle. It had been a hot afternoon, and
the warblers were thirsty. It had rained that morning, and a pathetic
little puddle was all that was left of the rains; it was shallow, dirty,
and quickly evaporating. These thirsty warblers wanted water, and
this puddle was the best offering. After seeing this I was reminded
of something that I’ve read and heard often: water, something that
always seems plentiful to us humans, is sometimes the greatest
need for a bird just trying to survive.
The last day I birded I was very tired. My previous days’ tally
was 103 total species, and I needed to get about forty-seven new
species. The more I thought about this, the more unlikely it seemed
for me to find that forty-seven. The common birds I was seeingover and over again, but the more unusual birds were just that
– unusual and hard to come by. By the fourth day I had given up
my other life; neglected my children, husband and dog, my house
was a mess, and the family did not have decent meals that week.
I was exhausted with my early morning expeditions, and my
enthusiasm for birding was in a slump. That morning I dragged
myself out of bed and headed to the place I was most likely to pick
up those forty-seven species – Hornsby Bend. I arrived at about
6:30 am – the earliest I’ve ever visited Hornsby. I had heard that
you don’t need to visit the ponds early, that any time will do, but I
wanted to see for myself. I was delighted to see sandpipers foraging
in the grass by the ponds early, a thing I have never seen sandpipers
do. Millions of miniscule bugs milled around like a thick fog, and
I wondered if these bugs were attractive to the Least and Pectoral
Sandpipers foraging there. 10:00 am, however, found me driving
around the ponds rather listlessly. I did marvel at the hundreds
of Wilson’s Phalaropes that were there that day, and I wondered
if anybody thought to scrutinize those hundreds of Wilson’s for
perhaps a Red-necked or Red.
I was thinking about doing just that when a small group of three
adults and four teenagers approached me. The woman, whose
name I later learned was Ann, approached me. “Do you know
what all those birds are?” she asked. I told her they were Wilson’s
Phalaropes, and I noticed the small group was toting books and
binoculars, and they dutifully looked up Phalaropes in their guides.
Ann explained that she and her group were from Grace’s Academyin Georgetown. She was a teacher, and instead of teaching today’s
nature lesson in a classroom, she actually took the kids out to a
natural setting; today’s lesson was birds, and she had learned that
Hornsby was the best place. She confessed she didn’t know much
about birds, so I volunteered to take the small group birding. I
figured what the heck, TAS is better served with a little public
service than with me trying to track down a few unlikely birds.
So that’s how I ended my Birdathon on that last day, I took the
group into the woods, and found out that they were naturals
– one man, Ann’s husband, spotted a Swainson’s Thrush in the
undergrowth; the only boy of the group gently picked up an anole
lizard to study it, and the three girls admonished him not to hurt it.They studied the lizard until it hopped off. Birds were not plentiful
but were singing, and even the singing of the cardinal was new and
fresh to this group of budding naturalists. One bright young girl
was more eager even than the rest, and I wondered, could someone
like her be the next Ken Kauffman, Connie Hager, or Roger Tory
Peterson?
I guess these people were the best thing of all; they, with their
love of nature, were perhaps my best birds; to be sure – birds in a
metaphorical sense; but if people learn to love nature, they protect
it. That is my hope. And that is my Birdathon.Terry Banks
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8 SIG NAL SMO KE /July/August 2008 TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IE TY
Alamo InnLower Rio Grande * Lodging forBirders
Guiding * Guides include Benton Basham Artist’s studio * Grover Terry Beaman
Optics dealer * Brunton & Alpen
956-782-9912 www.alamoinnsuites.com
801 Main Street, Alamo TX
across from El Dorado Restaurant
A HISTORY TEASERMay 8, 2008 was a beautiful spring day, boasting blue skies,
birdsongs and the birth of memorializing TAS history on film.
On May 8th, our filmmakers, Joan and Hammond Hendrix,
accompanied Anne Donovan, Betty Hendrix, John Kelly and
myself to Dripping Springs to meet the first president of Travis
Audubon Society, Bradley Davis.
Bradley will turn 100 years
old next February andclaims we are all invited to
his birthday party. While he
is currently nursing some
bad hips, Bradley is sharp
of mind and wit. Without
giving away the “plot” of
the film, Bradley related
that in 1950, Magnolia
Green invited five friends
to her house to discuss
the Audubon Camp for
adults at Kerrville, Texas.
The purpose of this camp
was to educate teachers
so that they would spread
“Audubonism!” Bradley was a science teacher at University
Junior High School. Another guest was Dorothy Fluay, a
biology teacher.
This small group discussed bringing to Austin the natural
history movies that Audubon distributed called the “Audubon
Screen Tours.” However, to obtain these movies there was a
requirement that the group be “organized.” This small group of
six, approached Director Sheffield of Texas Parks and Wildlife,
who offered his office as the first meeting place. Sheffield became the seventh member and thus, was born Travis Audubon
Society. Stay tuned for the film! Nancy Manning
Texas’ Rivers Need You!How much water do our rivers and bays need to stay healthy?
How much water can we take out of a river for use in cities,
on fields, and in factories before we do serious harm? The
National Wildlife Federation is searching for stakeholders
for a new process that will set legal standards defining how
much water Texas’ rivers and bays need to sustain a healthy
ecosystem. Right now, we are looking for stakeholders in two
watersheds:
1.San Antonio River and San Antonio Bay system — this
includes tributaries such as the Guadalupe and San Marcos
2.Colorado River and Matagorda Bay system — this includes
the upper and lower sections of the river, the Highland Lakes,
and tributaries such as the Llano.
For more information, please go to www.texaswatermatters.
org/flows.htm or contact Jennifer Ellis, 512-476-9805 or
ellis@nwf.org.
IN MY BOOK, YOU COME FIRST.
[ 2 4 7 7 8 - v 1 - 0 1 1 5 ] A 1 0 3 0 - 0 9 0 8
A.G. Edwards is a division of Wachovia Securities, LLC. Member SIPC.
PORTMAN-ELLIOTT FINANCIAL GROUP
MICHAEL PORTMANFinancial Advisor
Senior Vice President – Investments
301 Congress Ave., Suite 100
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 472-6852 • (800) 460-0071
michael.portman@wachoviasec.com
http://home.wachoviasecurities.com/bl87
Photo Credit: Joan Hendrix
Conservation
Craig Damuth
Trent Miller and Meta Hunt
Nancy Podio Painted Bunting Membership
Aletha Snowden
Elizabeth Powers
J.P. Patterson
John D. Duguid
Linda Markich
Lynn L. Box
Nancy Cochran
Nancy Radding
Wayne Rogers
Joe Doherty and Becky Jones
Vireo MembershipRachel Jenkins and Joe Kulhavy
Rebecca Weaver
Terry and Jeremy Banks
Trent Miller
Lorraine Benini
Lee Decker and Faye Harris
Joan Cox
Jim Walker and Family
Anne Donovan
John DonovanAlec Rhodes
Warbler
Jim W. Hargrove, Jr.
Margaret Aeschbach
Chaetura Canyon
Amy Trost
Edward Sones
Nancy Manning
Terri Siegenthaler
John Donovan
Cathy Nordstrom
Phil Nordstrom
Nell Martin
Nancy Winfield
Chris DuCharme
Caryl Dalton
Jim Thatcher
TAS Supporters!!We thank these persons and groups who generously made recent
contributions to Travis Audubon Society (as of press time):
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10 SIG NAL SMO KE /July/August 2008 TRA VIS AUD UBO N SO CIE TY
Jeff Baker, REALTOR ®, Birder
Cell: (512) 619-7421
Fax: (512) 371-9952
4000 Duval St. Austin TX 78751
SEARCH AREA LISTINGS @ jeffbaker.stanberry.com
Also check out:
bakerproperties.biz & jeffbakerart.biz
Environment & Client Friendly
HybridRealtor@Stanberry.com
Chimney Swift Tower ConstructionTwo Chimney Swift Towers Installed
with One Waiting in the Wings
You have probably heard Chimney Swifts chittering high
overhead in your neighborhood. You can help them by
uncapping your chimney, if it has brick, rock, or a clay tile flue
with mortar joints. Read more about these wonderful creatures
at Paul and Georgan Kyle’s website, www.chimneyswifts.org/
Travis Audubon put money in the budget last year to fund the
materials needed for three 8-foot chimney swift towers. Thanks
to Paul and Georgean for building the tower kits, providing the
instructions on how to assemble them on site, and being the
experts on call.
An AISD Small Middle School teacher, David Matthews, who
is doing an outstanding job teaching his students about native
plants, animals and habitat, volunteered to install one at his
school, with help from students. Look for it when you go to
admire their schoolyard habitat, complete with occupied Purple
Martin houses.
Joan Singh of the Austin’sParks and Recreation
Department, who is the
supervisor in charge of
Commons Ford Ranch,
agreed to let Travis
Audubon install a tower
there. Over Memorial Day
weekend Travis Audubon
members Mark and Eliot
Lyon, with the valuable
assistance of Parks and
Recreation employee Alfredo Gonzales,
built the form for the concrete base,
mixed and poured thirteen bags of 80-
pound concrete, and installed the base
of the tower the first day. On Day 2,
Mark and Eliot added the insulation and
the top part of the tower, and painted
it. On Day 3, Mark added the final
trim pieces and with Alfredo’s help,
removed the form. Passersby were very
curious about the tower, so signage will
be added. A tiny feather was lodged in
the bottom of the tower’s ventilation
holes making Mark wonder if the tower
had already been used. There are Chimney
Swifts in the vicinity, and the tower’s
placement close to a house should make it desirable.
A third tower is ready to be installed at the Austin Nature and
Science Center. We need volunteers to help with this and future
towers, and with monitoring and maintaining them. Please
contact Jane Tillman to help.
Jane Tillman
Chimney Swifts need your help!Would you like to help fund more Chimney Swift towers in
Austin? They are a great outreach tool for us with high visibility.
Chimney Swifts are charismatic. People respond well to their
friendly chatter, and when they hear about the swifts’ amazing
migration to the Amazon basin, they are hooked. The materials
and labor for constructing a chimney swift tower kit run about
$500 for an 8-foot tower. Send your donation to Travis Audubon
and indicate it is to help finance a tower!
Photos courtesy of Mar
Lyon and Jane Tillman
Well, this was another great Birding Classic for the TAS Towhees!
Two other team members (Austin and Christian Walker) and
myself went down five days in advance to scout. We traveled our route
for five days. We started up in Jasper in the Pineywoods and hit the
major birding spots up there, finding the best places to bird and picking
up a few lifers while we were at it. After that, we headed down to
Anahuac NWR, Bolivar Peninsula, and High Island for a few days. Our
best bird here was probably a Lesser Black-backed Gull and five Surf
Scoters we found at Bolivar Flats (both life birds for me).
On Saturday morning, after
being joined by fourth team
member Katrina Troppy, we
woke up at just before midnight
and headed out to Martin Dies
Jr. State Park to listen for owls.
We managed to get a Barred
Owl, but then it started raining
so we went back to the hotel
to wait it out and rest. We
made it to Boykin Springs just
before dawn and picked up our
Chuck-will’s-widow along with the
hoped for specialties (Bachman’s
Sparrows, Red-cockaded
Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Prairie Warbler). After this
we headed back to Martin Dies SP and picked up most notably Kentucky
Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Northern Parula. Then it was off to
Anahuac! A wrong turn resulted in us getting a House Finch (the only one
for the entire trip). We stopped at a few flooded fields on the way and pick
up Upland and Buff-breasted Sandpipers, among others. Heading on down
we found a flock of Wild Turkeys on the side of the road. When we finally
arrived at Anahuac we headed down to The Willows and took a spin aroun
Shoveler Pond, picking up a few migrants and most of our marsh birds.
Our TAS Towhees 2008
continued on next page
TAS Towhees, left to right: Austin Wal
Jesse Huth, Christian Walker, KatrinaTroppy. Photo courtesy of Jesse Huth
Students from Dave Matthew’s 7th
period class help build the tower
during school hours.
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TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IET Y SI GNA L SMO KE / July/August 2008 11
One morning in early April, I looked outside and saw
what appeared to be a Sycamore or grape vine leaf
hanging below the top wire of
the barbed wire fence out front. On closer
inspection, I discovered that the “leaf”
was, in reality, an Eastern red bat ( Lasiurus
borealis; pronounced lay-zee-your-us bor-ee-al-is). At first, I thought the bat was
roosting. However, I didn’t think that a
bat, let alone a tree bat, would roost out
in the open. Something appeared wrong
to me. I looked closer and saw that the
bat had somehow managed to hang its
tail membrane (uroptagium) on one of the
downward-pointing wire barbs. The bat had
most likely missed detection of the top wire
while in hot pursuit of prey. Then, when it hung
its tail membrane on the downward pointing
wire barb, the momentum of the collision caused the bat to flip
over the wire, its weight holding the bat firmly on the wire. The
agitated bat’s wings were not torn, but the bat was stressed, and
no doubt dehydrating as it struggled in the rising morning heat. I
got my heavy leather gloves on and gently clasped the bat in my
left hand and lifted it over the wire. Then, while still holding the
bat in my left hand, I carefully unhooked its tail membrane from
the wire barb. I held the bat, which was becoming more agitated
by being handled, in my left hand for a moment before I released
it. It took off, circled several times, flying with strong wing beats
and then headed south, towards Baker Creek at treetop level. As a
result of this encounter, I have confirmed that the Eastern red bat
is a summer resident of the Baker Sanctuary and I have added it
to the mammal list.
Eastern red bats are North America’s most abundant “tree bats”.
They are found wherever there are trees east of the Rocky
Baker S anctuary N ewsMountains from Canada to as far south as Central Florida. Eastern
red bats roost out in the foliage of deciduous or sometimes
evergreen trees. Despite their bright red
color, these bats are quite cryptic, looking
like dead leaves or pine cones. They
are perfectly camouflaged as they hang
curled-up in their furry tail membranes,suspended from a single foot, twisting
slightly in the breeze. For the most part,
red bats are solitary, coming together only
to mate and to migrate. Females roost
singly when rearing young. Unlike most
bats, Eastern red bats often give birth to
twins and can have litters of up to five
young, though three young is average.
During the day, pups hold on to their
mothers with one foot and on to a perch
with the other. Mothers leave their young alone at night when
they go out to feed, but if necessary, they will move them to anew location. Pups begin to fly at three to four weeks and are
weaned only a few weeks later. In the summertime, red bats are
among the earliest evening flyers, typically feeding around forest
edges, in clearings, or around streetlights where they consume
predominately moths.
Red bats are known to survive body temperatures as low as 23
degrees F. Their long, silky fur provides extra protection from
severe cold and they also use their heavily furred tail membrane
like a blanket, wrapping themselves up almost completely. While
in hibernation, red bats respond to subfreezing temperatures by
raising their metabolic rate to maintain a body temperature above
their critical lower survival limit. (Portions of this article weretaken from the Bat Conservation International website at www.
batcon.org).
John Wilcox, TAS-Baker Sanctuary Steward
Photo courtesy John & Marcie Wilcox
After this, we shot down to the Yellow Rail Prairie where we pulled on
our waders, untangled our dragline (long rope with weighted bottles
tied on every foot or so), and headed out into the marsh. We flushed
many Seaside Sparrows, and finally, after dodging nesting Red-winged
Blackbirds and alligator nests, we flushed a Yellow Rail. Rejoicing, we
headed back to the car. We headed right through High Island (it was
midday, not a good time for migrants) and down to Rollover Pass on the
Bolivar Peninsula. We found a Bonaparte’s Gull along with a flock of
feeding Black Terns. We headed down towards Frenchtown Road at the
end of the peninsula, and thanks to a wrong turn, a washed out bridge,
and a confused GPS we found a Redhead and quite a few Bobolinks.
Gotta love that tech! When we finally made it to Frenchtown Road we
found an Am. Oystercatcher and both Dowitcher Species. We dropped by
the Ferry and found the Magnificent Frigatebird that had been following
the ferry all week. We finally arrived at Bolivar Flats and thundered
out across the shore to where all the birds were clustered. We scoped
them all out, picking out many shorebirds, but found no sign of the Surf
Scoters or the Lesser Black-backed Gull. Finally after scanning through
countless Laughing Gulls an odd brown bird was spotted. It turned out to
be a Pomarine Jaeger! This bird required documentation, so we took som
pictures of it and headed off. Next stop, Anahuac, to listen for Rails. As w
left Smith Point a large shape was spotted on a passing telephone pole. W
quickly reversed and in with the last rays of the sun identified it as a Red
tailed Hawk. We drove out to the Yellow Rail Prairie and just as we pass
the only tree in the area we heard the characteristic hooting of a Great
Horned Owl. Who would have thought we would get one THERE? Weeasily picked up a King Rail, but the Black Rails were silent. We headed
up to Beaumont and turned in our list of 191 birds.
The next day we went to the Awards Brunch to find out our placings.
We came in second behind the ABA Tropicbirds, who had 195 birds. It
was a fun trip and all the team members got life birds. I cannot wait unti
next year when we will get over 200 species of birds! Thank you TAS
for supporting our team at this year’s Great Texas Birding Classic. In the
end it is all about conservation and with your support we were able to
do our part in contributing to the overall goodwill of avian habitat and
conservation.
Jesse H
Towhees GTBC Report, continued from previous page
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1 2 S I G N A L S M O K E / July/August 2 00 8 T R A V I S A U D U B O N S O C I E T Y
TAS Events - July 2008Saturday, July 5
Saturday, July 57:00 am & 4 pm
Saturday, July 127:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Saturday, July 197:30 am to Noon
Saturday, July 268:00 am to noon
Saturday, July 26
TAS Book Club Newsnew location
No Field Trip. Happy 4th of July!Bird your favorite park.
Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby BendContact Eric Carpenter at ecarpe@gmail.com for more information. Sponsored monthly by the Horn-
sby Bend Bird Observatory.
Second Saturday Swift Watch at Chaetura CanyonJoin Sanctuary Stewards Georgean and Paul Kyle for an evening of Chimney Swift Watching and na
tive plant sale at Travis Audubon’s Chaetura Canyon Bird Sanctuary on the second Saturday of each
month of May through September from 7:00 until 9:00 PM. These unique events are free to TAS
Members. However, all donations to TAS for support of projects and programs at Chaetura Canyon
are gratefully accepted. Proceeds from the sale of native plants also help with the maintenance of this
Sanctuary. Scheduled dates are July 12, August 9, and September 13. Each evening is limited to fif-
teen participants, so contact Georgean and Paul as soon as possible to make your reservation. Email:
dwa@austin.rr.com or phone: 512-266-3861.
Monthly Bird Walk at Hornsby BendMonthly Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend, led by Claude Morris, George Kerr and Kirsti Harms
Austin’s premier birding site. No registration required. Contact fieldtrips@travisaudubon.org for
more information.
Monthly Bird Walk at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center in San Antonio. Travis Audubon Society encourages you to participate in the monthly birding tour at Mitchell Lake
Audubon Center. Located just south of downtown San Antonio, it is located on a 1200-acre natu-
ral area. This unique and beautiful bird haven consists of the 600-acre Mitchell Lake, 215 acres
of wetlands and ponds and 385 acres of upland habitat. Located on the northern edge of the South
Texas plains eco-region, it is not uncommon to see American White Pelicans by the hundreds resting
among an assortment of waterbirds such as Northern Pintail, American Avocet, and Green Heron.
Where, in the summertime, Painted Buntings and Orchard Orioles can be heard and seen off the
porch of the beautifully restored 1910 home that is now the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center. The
guided birding tour costs $5. Get together with your favorite birding buddies and head to San Anto-
nio! Directions to the center are on their website at www.tx.audubon.org/Mitchell.htm
Ecological Literacy Day at Hornsby BendEvery last Saturday of the month, For more information: Priscilla Murr at priscilla.murr@sbcglobal.
net, or Kevin Anderson, 972-1960.
TAS Book Club ChangesThe Travis Audubon Nature Book Group will meet about every 2-3 months at a local restaurant.
Reservations are required, so please RSVP to Terry Banks at 331-0071 or tessiembanks@msn.com
least two days before the meeting. This is so we can reserve a seat for members at the restaurant and
so details about the location can be discussed. Anybody can come and it is not mandatory to read the
book; however, discussion is richer when the book has been read by most of the participants.
Monday, August 25, The Curve of Time by M. Wylie Blanchet.Monday, October 27, The Third Chimpanzee by Jared M. Diamond.
About TAS Field Trips All TAS field trips are open to members and nonmembers and to experienced and inexperienced birders. Wear appro-
priate clothing and walking shoes, and bring binoculars and water. Unless otherwise noted, field trips are free. For complete, up-to-date information
on field trips, including cancellations due to weather or other circumstances, please check the TAS website at www.travisaudubon.org. Because of
the publication schedule of the newsletter, things can change. If you do not have Internet access, please contact the person(s) listed with the event
description.
About Hornsby Bend Maps and other information about the Hornsby Bend facility may be found on the Hornsby Bend website at www.
hornsbybend.org
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TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IE TY SI GNA L SMO KE / July/August 2008 13
TAS Events - August 2008Saturday, August 2
5 pm to dark
Saturday, August 97 am and 4:00 pm
Saturday, August 97:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Saturday, August 16
7:30 am to Noon
Saturday, August 236:30 am to 11 am
Tuesday, August 268:00 am to 10:00 am
Saturday, August 30
Back to the Bat Cave! Bat Emergence Field Trip, with George KerrJoin us at the Bat Cave as we watch the emergence of millions of bats as they go on their nightly feeding f
This is an event held in the cool of the evening so it’s a perfect way to spend a Texas summer night There
several caves that we are looking at for this year’s excursion so if you are interested, stay tuned to this “Ba
Channel” and contact George Kerr at George.kerr@austin.rr.com or 785-3579 for more information and
register for this event.
Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby BendContact Eric Carpenter at ecarpe@gmail.com for more information. Sponsored monthly by the Hornsby
Bird Observatory.
Second Saturday Swift Watch at Chaetura CanyonJoin Sanctuary Stewards Georgean and Paul Kyle for an evening of Chimney Swift Watching and native p
sale at Travis Audubon’s Chaetura Canyon Bird Sanctuary on the second Saturday of each month of May
through September from 7:00 until 9:00 PM. Scheduled dates are July 12, August 9, and September 13. Ea
evening is limited to fifteen participants, so contact Georgean and Paul as soon as possible to make your re
vation. Email: dwa@austin.rr.com or phone: 512-266-3861.
Noon Monthly Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend with Gary Newgord and Kirsti HarmAustin’s premier birding site. No registration required. Contact fieldtrips@travisaudubon.org for more imation. More information and directions to the site can be found online.
Cypress Valley Canopy Zip-line Tour with George Kerr.Cost of the tour is $70. The Cypress Valley Canopy Tour is a tree-top adventure using sky-walks and zipliContact George Kerr at George.kerr@austin.rr.com to reserve your spot today - only seven participants allowed for this trip so don’t delay if you want to go! George will get back to you with the trip particulars.
Location: 1223 Paleface Ranch Road in Spicewood, Texas, just 30 miles west of downtown Austin. Fromdowntown Austin, take Highway 71 west towards Llano and Marble Falls. About ten miles past Highway pass over a bridge crossing the Pedernales River. From the Pedernales River, drive almost two more milesturn right on Paleface Ranch Road. Follow Paleface Ranch Road for one mile to our signs on the right. Atgate, press “CALL” to reach an employee.
Two-Hour Tuesday! At Roy Guerrero Park, with Stan Van SandtThis will be the inaugural event of a seasonal eight-week series of free, accessible bird walks, perfect for
students, seniors, newcomers to Austin, or anyone who can spare two hours on a Tuesday morning. Most s
visited will be in the city limits and convenient (on alternate weeks) to those who live north or south of do
town - it’s a great way to explore your own neighborhood hot spots! No registration required, just follow t
published directions and spend a couple of hours birding with a group led by a TAS field trip leader. Begin
welcome, but bring your own binoculars! All fall walks will start at 8 a.m. To get to Roy Guerrero Park, tu
north onto Grove Blvd. from E. Riverside Drive (second light past Pleasant Valley). Drive to end of road,
in first lot on right. No registration required.
Upcoming Two-Hour Tuesdays include:
September 2 - Riata Pond (northwest Austin - Hwy 183)
September 9 - Blunn Creek Preserve (south Austin - Travis Heights)
September 16 - St. Edwards Park (northwest Austin - Bull Creek)
September 23 - Richard Moya Park (southeast Austin - near airport)
September 30 - Wild Basin (west Austin - off Mopac)
October 7 - Mary Moore Searight Park (south Austin - Slaughter Lane)
October 14 - Zilker Park/Barton Creek (south-central Austin)Other locations will be explored in the winter and spring, including Laguna Gloria, Sunset Valley, SEMetro Park, Turkey Creek, Walnut Creek, and possibly even Hornsby Bend.
Ecological Literacy Day at Hornsby BendEvery last Saturday of the month, For more information: Priscilla Murr at priscilla.murr@sbcglobal.net, or
Kevin Anderson, 972-1960.
N e w s e r i e
s o f B i r d W
a l k s
J o i n S t a n
f o r
T w o - H o u
r T u e s d a y
s
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14 SIG NAL SMO KE / July/August 2008 TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IE T
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
March of 2008 marked another milestone for TAS; expandingour office space, expanding our membership and expanding our horizons. We have brought “home” most of our property and papers. We are streamlining our office procedures, especially theuse of our database, cataloging years of history, finalizing our strategic plan, applying for grants, drafting policies to conform to best practices for non-profits, and forming important partnerships.We would be unable to move this far forward without the
generosity and dedication of our volunteers. Please give a roundof applause to our:
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR - FRANCES CERBINS
Frances is a retired computer programmer and personal life-saver.The unseen, unglamorous side of TAS – data management – is critical to theeffective and efficient operation of TAS. Frances is a rare bird, indeed,as she volunteers one day per week to dust off the database and breathenew life into it. She helps us tounderstand many of the deficienciesin our database and the need to revise,streamline or change key features. Sheeven willingly transfers data from thedreaded National Audubon Chapter Change Reports to our database everymonth.
Originally from La Grange, TX, shegrew up in Greenville, TX. She attendedAustin College in Sherman TX where she received her BA inmath. She attained her Master’s in Math at UT followed by thirtyyears as a computer programmer for the space industry. Shedid something called “mathematical modeling for navigationsystems!,” which, explains why my eyes glaze over when she triesto explain the “logic” of computers.
Frances is married to Oskar Cerbins and they have three grownchildren. You can thank Oskar for painting our new office anddoing it without saying a word about how “orange” it is!
When her children were still small, Frances volunteered atArmand Bayou Nature Center in Harris County, where she first began birding. She was hooked, so when Oskar was transferred byIBM to Maryland, she birded on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.When she and Oskar moved to Austin two years ago she signedup for Jean Martin’s beginning birding class and joined TAS. Therest is history. She claims she is “not very good” at birding butsays that it is “exciting.” In fact, she says she gets excited whenshe sees a robin!
VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH - SHARON BAUER
Another Microsoft Access magician, Sharon Bauer, hasvolunteered many hours to our antiquated database. Workingfrom a new database created by another amazing volunteer, KarinMarks, Sharon upgraded our old database allowing it to interfacewith the new database. Sharon has created the entire query systemwhich permits us to quickly attain information we need for avariety of purposes. Sharon has also created the mail merges thatallow us to communicate effectively with our membership. She patiently teaches volunteers and staff to work with the databaseand helps us to define our needs.
Sharon grew up in Bethesda, Maryland with the change of seasoa love of the outdoors and a full plate of migratory birds. Sharonsays that her “reasons for joining TAS and volunteering are becaof Shelia Hargis and Tess Sherman.” She said that their love of conservation is infectious and she wanted to be a part of their cause.
Non-profits survive and prosper because of the help of volunteeWithout the exceptional computer skills and generosity of their time that Francis and Sharon give to TAS, we could not functioneffectively. Please join us in thanking, as well as congratulatingFrancis on her nomination as Volunteer of the Year and Sharon oher nomination as Volunteer of the Month.
WE’RE SO GRATEFUL!
The move of our offices involved several stages, including
moving years of accumulation from storage, managing the book
sale, moving the office from two separate locations, cleaning
and painting the new space, setting up the office for computers
– actually it seemed endless. I would like to thank everyone wh
helped. If I have missed your name, please forgive my very tired
and old brain!
Trent Miller Paul Wheeler Terri Siegenthaler Betty Hendri
Jackie Davis Barbara Baggett Barbara Anderson Chris Ma
Jean Martin Priscilla Murr Frances Cerbins Nancy Hal
Oskar Cerbins Laurie Foss
And a Texas-size thank you to Hammond Hendrix for building a
donating to us a “rocket-ship” of a computer. I would also like t
extend a special thanks to everyone who helped make Baker Op
House a success in the midst of the insanity of this move:
Terri Siegenthaler John and Marcie Wilcox Roxie Rochat
Kathy McCormick Laurie Foss Shelia Hargis John Kelly
Bill Reiner Chris & Amy Masey Gary Waggerman
Cynthia Sperry Julia Heskett Val Bugh Sally Means
Nancy Hall Ann Gardner Jason Stuck Jack McCumber
Please join us in thanking all of our volunteers for making possi
the transitioning of our organization, the effectiveness of our
programs and the good reputation of TAS.
VOLUNTEERS MAKE IT HAPPEN
Photo Credit: Joan Hendrix
WANTED - Call for Data
YOUR VALUABLE OBSERVATIONS
FOR AN INVASIVE BIRD STUDY
A collaborative study is being initiated between Daniel Brooks
Ph.D. (Houston Museum of Natural Science) and David Sarko
(Texas Ornithological Society). This citizen science project wil
document the spread of these six species of exotic birds in Tex
Kindly provide info on the data sheets at www.hmns.org/files/
invasivepasserines.doc for each separate observation. Many tha
for your help – All participants will be acknowledged in any
resulting publications!
8/9/2019 July-Aug. 2008 Signal Smoke Newsletter Travis Audubon Society
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TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IET Y SIG NAL SMO KE / July/August 2008 1
TAS Classes Hummingbird Gardening ClassFor the fourth year in a row we are pleased to offer Mark Klym’s
Gardening for Hummingbirds class. In this class you will learn
how to make your garden a haven for hummingbirds. Mark Klym
is Coordinator of the Texas Hummingbird Roundup and the Texas
Wildscapes programs for Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD). This
class will explore native plants that are hummingbird friendly - their
characteristics and cultivation; garden designs and maintenance tips;
as well as discussing the proper use of hummingbird feeders.
This workshop will be held Thursday evenings, July 10 and 17
(6:30 - 9:00 PM) in the Tarrytown section of west Austin. More
specific information will be provided after registration. There will
be a field trip on the morning of July 19 to a local garden which is
noted for its attractive, nature-friendly landscaping. Tuition will be
$40 for TAS members and $55 for non-members. Participants will
receive a Hummingbird Roundup kit from TPWD as well as other
handouts. For more information or to register for the class, contact
Trent beginning June 15 at trent9719@aol.com.
Hummingbird Identification ClassCentral Texans have a wealth of hummingbirds visiting us
each year. From our nesting Ruby-throated and Black-chinnedHummingbirds to the elusive visitors like Broad-billed
Hummingbirds and Green Violet-ears, Central Texas hummingbirds
can be a challenge to identify. This class will introduce the fifteen
hummingbird species that have been seen in central Texas. Mark
will discuss their ranges, habitat, and frequency of occurrence, and
will emphasize those characteristics that can be used for effective
identification. Each species will be examined in detail, looking at
key diagnostic features, and compared to similar, often confusing
species.
Mark Klym is Coordinator of the Texas Hummingbird Roundup and
Texas Wildscapes programs for Texas Parks and Wildlife. He is also
co-author of Hummingbirds of Texas (Texas A&M Press, 2005).
No prior birding experience is necessary. Participants will receive a
Hummingbird Roundup kit from TPWD as well as other handouts.
This year we are pleased to announce that the class has been
extended to include a weekend field trip to Ft. Davis. Two lecture
sessions will be held on Tuesday evenings, July 15 and 22 (6:30 to
9:00 PM), in the Tarrytown section of west Austin. More specific
information will be provided after registration. The West Texas
field trip will be July 25-28. Tuition will be $40 for TAS members
and $55 for non-members. In addition, class participants will share
Mark’s travel expenses on the field trip. For more information
or to register for the class, contact Trent beginning June 15 at
trent9719@aol.com.
Shorebird Identification ClassSandpipers and plovers are a fascinating group of birds. They
undertake some of the most spectacular long-distance migrations
of any animals (radio-tagged Bar-tailed Godwits have recently
been recorded flying over 6,200 non-stop miles in six-and-a-half to
seven-and-a-half days!) and are already moving southward through
our area. Can you tell which of those little brown birds on the
mudflats at Hornsby Bend are which?
If not, Tim Fennell’s Shorebird Identification Class is a great way
for intermediate birders to learn how to distinguish the Least,
Semipalmated, and Western Sandpipers, Lesser and Greater
Yellowlegs, and other similar shorebirds. Tim teaches science at
the Liberal Arts and Science High School in Austin and has been
teaching the Shorebird Identification Class for Travis Audubon
since 1998.
Class lectures will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on July
24, August 7 and August 14 at the Hornsby Bend Center for Environmental Research. There will be local field trips on July
26 and August 9, and an optional trip to the Texas coast on the
weekend of August 16-17.
The tuition is $75 for TAS members and $85 for non-members. For
those who go to the coast, there will be an additional fee to cover
Tim’s expenses. This should range from $30 to $45, depending
upon how many sign up. Birders who want to take this class should
register by sending e-mail to Jean Martin: gobirding @verizon.net
or call 343-7053.
Introduction to Raptors ClassIf you struggle when trying to differentiate between Sharp-shinned
and Cooper’s Hawks, or identify a Merlin or other species of raptor, this introductory class on raptors will improve your skills.
Classroom sessions will focus on basic identification techniques
to help you recognize the different buteos, accipiters, and falcons,
which occur in central Texas and along the coast. The class will no
include owls.
Robert Reeves will once again teach the raptor class. Robert has
been a serious birder for about thirty-four years, and has been a
TAS member for fourteen years. Other TAS classes he has taught
include Beginning Birding, Waterfowl Identification, and Backyard
Birding. Two-hour morning classroom sessions will be held at the
Hornsby Bend Center for Environmental Research on Saturdays,
September 13 and 20, followed by visits to the Hornsby BendHawkwatch site. Hawkwatches have been conducted at Hornsby
Bend since August 2000 and provide a good opportunity to begin
to practice what you have learned in class.
The class will feature an optional field trip the weekend of
September 27-28 to Hazel Bazemore County Park near Corpus
Christi, which is one of the most important hawkwatch sites
in North America. In 2007, over half a million Broad-winged
Hawks were counted during the season at the Hazel Bazemore
Hawkwatch, and many years the total number reaches 100,000
Broad-winged Hawks in a single day. Twenty-seven different
species of raptors were recorded last year. Although we can’t
guarantee you’ll see huge numbers of a variety of raptors, the classfield trip will be taken during the period, which is generally the
peak of the migration season. The possibility of witnessing one of
the great spectacles of nature makes this class a “can’t miss” event.
Tuition for the class is $60 for TAS members and $75 for non-
members. Participants who go on the field trip will be expected to
pay an additional fee to cover Robert’s expenses. This should range
from $25 to $35, depending upon how many take the trip.
Registration is limited, so mark your calendar and contact the
registrar, Byron Stone, beginning August 1, by sending him email
at drbirdie@aol.com.
8/9/2019 July-Aug. 2008 Signal Smoke Newsletter Travis Audubon Society
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16 SI GNA L SMO KE / July/August 2008 TRA VIS AUD UBO N SOC IET Y
Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage PaidPermit No. 2301
Austin, Texas
Travis Audubon SocietyYES! I want to enjoy the benefits of Travis AudubonSociety chapter membership. Enroll me as a member of
Travis Audubon Society. Enclosed is my check for: $12 Youth Membership (up to age 18)
$25 Individual Membership
$35 Family Membership
$75 Painted Bunting Membership (bonus TravisAudubon T-shirt)
$100 Vireo Membership (bonus T-shirt and book)
$250 Warbler Membership (bonus T-shirt, book, andfree workshop)
$1,000 Lifetime Membership (bonus T-shirt, book,free work shop, and listing in annual report)
T-shirt size (for premium memberships) __________________
This is a gift membership from ________________________
Name _______________________________ Phone ________________
Address _____________________________________________________
City ____________________________ State _____ Zip _____________
Email ______________________________________________________
Visit the TAS Web site: www.travisaudubon.org
Travis Audubon Society3710 Cedar StreetBox 5Austin, TX. 78705
Dated Material - DO NOT DELAY
Join your local Audubon chapter, Travis Audubon Society,by using the form at the right. Your dues will be put touse supporting local conservation, education, research
projects, field trips, and other Travis Audubon activities righthere in Central Texas. We seek your support through yourmembership in our local chapter. (To become a member of the national Audubon, please go to their Web site at www.audubon.org.)
Join Travis Audubon now and support local birds, wildlife, and their habitats.
Travis Audubon Society chapter members receive six issuesof this Signal Smoke newsletter, priority sign-ups on local field
trips, discounts on our educational classes, the opportunityto participate in our e-mail group and attend our wonderfulmonthly lectures, and more!
To join Travis Audubon Society: Make your check payable to Travis Audubon Society andsend it with this form to Travis Audubon Society, 3710 CedarSt., Box 5, Austin, TX 78705, or join on-line using any majorcredit card by going to www.travisaudubon.org and clickingon Membership.
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